AFP Guangzhou post has delivered a world first by negotiating an agreed lawful process allowing narcotic samples seized in China to be exported to Australia.

This historic moment has now created a precedent to lawfully export and import samples into Australia, which will greatly assist in the prosecution phase of narcotic operations between the two countries.

In the future, opportunities will arise where the AFP will be able to profile samples of seizures to determine their origin and manufacture origin.

The narcotics seized in China were the result of two controlled operations – Operation Kaesong between Sydney Crime Operations and the Guangzhou Anti-Smuggling Bureau, and Operation Verdana out of AFP Melbourne Office.

Operation Kaesong was the main driver for the export of this initial drug sample to be sent to Australia. In this instance, the samples are to be used solely for evidentiary purposes.

The authority to export from China and to import into Australia, legally sanctioned by a Mutual Assistance Request, became official on Thursday 27 February 2014.

AFP Guangzhou Senior Liaison Officer Bill Polychronopoulos facilitated the receipt of narcotics from the Guangzhou Anti-Smuggling Bureau and the Guangzhou Narcotics Control Bureau.

The narcotic samples were then formally handed over to AFP Federal Agent Leszek Wolkowski who personally returned them to Australia.

Both operations were facilitated by the Liaison Officers of Guangzhou and Beijing, Federal Agents Aaron Hardcastle and Mitchell McDonnell.